This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Homeschool Coffee Break helps fuel this blog and our homeschool - thank you!
Happy Independence Day!
Of course we all know that July 4th is America's birthday! It was on July 4th, 1776 that the delegates to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia signed the Declaration of Independence.
The building we know as Independence Hall was constructed between 1732 and 1753 and was intended to serve as the State House of the Province of Pennsylvania. In 1776 it was the building in which members of the Second Continental Congress debated, deliberated, and then signed the Declaration of Independence.
Here are some other notable events in American history that took place on July 4th:
The building we know as Independence Hall was constructed between 1732 and 1753 and was intended to serve as the State House of the Province of Pennsylvania. In 1776 it was the building in which members of the Second Continental Congress debated, deliberated, and then signed the Declaration of Independence.
 |
| Independence Hall, from the front. |
By the way, this is Declaration House, where Thomas Jefferson wrote the text of the Declaration of Independence. Those of you that have done the Student Writing Intensive from IEW may remember the story of Jefferson pacing the floors as he tried to work. Then the violin he sent for arrived, and after playing it for awhile, he was able to concentrate on his writing and soon had completed the text.
The famous Liberty Bell was originally cast to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Charter of Privileges written by William Penn to ensure freedom in the Pennsylvania colony. When the bell arrived from England it was defective. The Philadelphia business Pass & Stowe melted and recast it twice before it was hung in the tower of the State House in 1753. Tradition holds that the bell was rung on July 8, 1776 after the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence. When the British captured Philadelphia during the Revolutionary War, the Liberty Bell (and other bells) were hidden so that the British couldn't melt them down to make ammunition. The Liberty Bell was later returned to the State House and was rung every Fourth of July and on other national occasions until 1835 when it cracked.
 |
| Kennady and Children's Chorus Friends in 2014 |
 |
Proclaim LIBERTY throughout the Land unto all the inhabitants thereof.
1801 - the first public Fourth of July reception at the White House, during Jefferson's presidency
1804 - the Corps of Discovery named Independence Creek in honor of the day
1826 - both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died
1827 - New York state emancipated its slaves
1828 - Charles Carroll, the last man living who had signed the Declaration, participated in a ceremony opening the construction of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
1831 - the song "America" was first sun in a Boston celebration of Independence Day
1848 - the cornerstone of the Washington Monument was laid
1895 - The poem "America the Beautiful" by Katharine Lee Bates was first published in the July 4 issue of a weekly newspaper. She had been inspired to write the verses while on a trip to Pike's Peak in Colorado.
1895 - The poem "America the Beautiful" by Katharine Lee Bates was first published in the July 4 issue of a weekly newspaper. She had been inspired to write the verses while on a trip to Pike's Peak in Colorado.
1930 - the sculpture of Washington's face was unveiled at Mount Rushmore
1960 - the fifty star American flag waved for the first time
1975 - President and Mrs Ford participated in Independence Day celebrations at Fort McHenry, where the American flag inspired the writing of "The Star-Spangled Banner"
 |
| The Star-spangled Banner displayed at Fort McHenry. |
1976 - Bicentennial celebrating two hundred years of American freedom
1982 - the space shuttle Columbia landed at Edwards Air Force Base
2004 - the cornerstone for the Freedom Tower was laid in New York, at the site where the World Trade Center had been
2006 - the space shuttle Discovery was launched
2009 - the crown of the Statue of Liberty was re-opened to the public
2016 - Enjoy the fireworks! God Bless America!
How are you celebrating Independence Day? Leave a comment and let me know! Link up your posts about homeschooling high school here. Visit your neighbors and leave some encouraging comments!
©2006-2016 Homeschool Coffee Break. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://kympossibleblog.blogspot.com/
Posts
3 comments:
It's truly an "Independence Day" for my oldest -- he has had his own American History series on my blog. He began on July 4th, 2013 and today was his final posting & farewell. It's been amazing to watch him grow as both a person and a writer! I shared his final post with the link-up. Thanks for hosting. :)
Thanks so much for linking that, Meg! I've read many of his posts and have often thought what a great project that was for him.
Good to learn more about our neighbours to the south. :)
Post a Comment
I love comments! It's like visiting over a virtual cup of coffee.